 |
by Rett Davis | |
Gardening Q&A by Rett Davis appears in
Alamance County's daily newspaper, The Times-News,
every Sunday in the Accent section. Each week's installment is
posted to this
website, beginning with January of this year. Scroll to the bottom of
this page to navigate to other Gardening Q&As. Please contact
Rett via e-mail with questions
or
comments in regard to this column.
Question:
My daughter and I were picking blackberries the other day and we both received numerous stings from an something we never saw. Do you have any idea what could have caused these painful stings?
Answer:
I believe you encountered assassin bugs. In fact, I have seen small ones in our grape vines at the office. I suspect the ones that attacked you are called the 'Wheel Bug'. It is the largest member of the assassin bug family. They are easy to spot when they are young with their red abdomen. As they get older they turn a dark brown and blend in with their surroundings. Wheel bugs have a bizarre appearance with a semi-circle crest behind their head that resembles a cogwheel. Hence the name 'wheel bug'. Wheel bugs prey on other other insects and unfortunately you got in the way. As you have found out their bite is not only painful but is lasting. My advice is to wear long sleeve shirts and latex gloves next time you pick this vine. Any insecticide you spray now would not have time to degrade before the fruit rotted.
Question:
My hydrangeas did not bloom this year. Is there anything I can do to get them to bloom next year?
Answer:
By far the most common hydrangea grown in our area is Hydrangea macrophylla. This is the garden variety that is has either pink or blue large flowers. This species blooms from flower buds developed on older mature wood of the previous year. These buds are subject to winter injury and husbands that prune them back too hard in the winter months. Flower buds are present up and down the stem and on the end of the stem. We usually see the blossoms on the stem end. My advice is to take the hydrangea that did not bloom and cut it back hard now. I would reduce the height of the plant by 50%. This will increase the number of blooms on the stems below the cut. This must be done immediately and not after August 1st. The plant must have time to harden off before winter. I have also observed over the years that some hydrangeas never bloom despite all our efforts. Although they where blooming when purchased they failed to bloom again. In cases like this I believe that the variety has flower buds that are too cold susceptible for our climate. Therefore either remove the plant or keep it as a foliage plant.
Question:
My mandevilla vine that I overwintered has not bloomed yet. Why is it taking so long?
Answer:
The genus Mandevilla includes plants that were formerly called Dipladenia. There are about 100 species of these tropical blooming vines. These plant grow and flower best under full sun but will grow in light shade. For maximum flowers this plant needs a full 6 hours of direct sunlight. Flowering dates are determined by the last pruning or pinching. It takes 2 months after you bring them out from overwintering and prune them back for flower buds to be formed. It will take another full month for the flowers to open. This 3 month delay in flowering explains why they will not bloom until late July or early August. The ones that are sold at nurseries and garden centers in early spring in full bloom had a jump start on you because they spent the winter in a greenhouse and not your basement.
Question:
I had a lot of grub worms in my lawn last fall when I overseeded. When is the best time of the year to treat for grubworms?
Answer:
Early July is the best time to treat your lawn for grubs. There are many products on the market that will control the numerous white grubs that inhabit our soils. The most damaging to turf is the grub of the Japanese beetle. They are laying their eggs as I write this answer. The largest of the white grubs belong to the green June beetle. Although this grub does not eat grass roots, its burrowing will uproot newly seeded grasses in late summer and early fall. All our garden centers sell a grub control product that is applied in the granular form. How much you purchase is based on the square footage of your lawn. Determine the area of treatment before you go shopping. Underestimating will result in little or no grubworm control. Do not delay your treatment. Most of the products sold here become less effective in August and later as the grubs get larger and harder to control.
PASTURE RENOVATION AND ESTABLISHMENT WORKSHOP
Good pastures are the foundation of having healthy animals. Overgrazing, weeds, and poor soil management will cost you more in feed and health care. You are invited to learn more about growing and maintaining quality forages for your animals by attending our workshop on Tuesday July 25th at the Agricultural Building, 209 North Graham Hopedale Rd. in Burlington. Registration begins at 6:30 pm. There is no cost but please call the Cooperative Extension office at 570-6740 to register.
North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commitment themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation, North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&;T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.